o France; she
made the trip with it, knew just where it would stop, at what point it
would lurch around a corner, grazing the shop-windows with its wheels.

As a prisoner, M. Chebe became a terrible trial. He could not work in
the garden. On Sundays the fortifications were deserted; he could no
longer strut about among the workingmen's families dining on the grass,
and pass from group to group in a neighborly way, his feet encased
in embroidered slippers, with the authoritative demeanor of a wealthy
landowner of the vicinity. This he missed more than anything else,
consumed as he was by the desire to make people think about him. So
that, having nothing to do, having no one to pose before, no one to
listen to his schemes, his stories, the anecdote of the accident to the
Duc d'Orleans--a similar accident had happened to him in his youth,
you remember--the unfortunate Ferdinand overwhelmed his wife with
reproaches.

"Your daughter banishes us--your daughter is ashamed of us!"

She heard nothing but that "Your daughter--your daughter--your
daughter!" For, in his anger with Sidonie, he denied her, throwing
upon his wife the whole responsibility for that monstrous and unnatural
child. It was a genuine relief for poor Madame Chebe when her husband
took an omnibus at the office to go and hunt up Delobelle--whose hours
for lounging were always at his disposal--and pour into his bosom all
his rancor against his son-in-law and his daughter.

The illustrious Delobelle also bore Risler a grudge, and freely said of
him: "He is a dastard."

The great man had hoped to form an integral part of the new household,
to be the organizer of festivities, the 'arbiter elegantiarum'. Instead
of which, Sidonie received him very coldly, and Risler no longer even
took him to the brewery. However, the actor did not complain too loud,
and whenever he met his friend he overwhelmed him with attentions and
flattery; for he had need of him.

Weary of awaiting the discerning manager, seeing that the engagement he
had longed for so many years did not come, it had occurred to Delobelle
to purchase a theatre and manage it himself. He counted upon Risler for
the funds. Opportunely enough, a small theatre on the boulevard happened
to be for sale, as a result of the failure of its manager. Delobelle
mentioned it to Risler, at first very vaguely, in a wholly hypothetical
form--"There would be a good chance to make a fine stroke." Risler
listened with his